A Comparative Study on Ultrasonic Machining of Hard and Brittle Materials

Abstract

Precision abrasive processes are commonly employed to machine glasses, single crystals and ceramic materials for various industrial applications. Until now, precision machining of hard and brittle solids are poorly investigated in Brazil from the fundamental and applied point of views. Taking into account the major technological importance of this subject to the production of functional and structural components used in high performance systems, the present study investigated the ultrasonic abrasion of different workpiece materials - alumina, zirconia, quartz, glass, ferrite and LiF - by using a stationary ultrasonic machine. Experiments were conducted using a rectangular shaped cutting toll and SiC particles with mean grain size of 15μm. The machined surfaces were characterized by surface profilometry and scanning electron microscopy. In the case of alumina, zirconia and quartz, the rates of material removal decrease with the depth of machining. The rate of material removal remained constant for the others materials. The micrographs showed that brittle microcracking was the primary mechanism involved with material removal. The rates of material removal and the machined surface topographies were discussed as a function of intrinsic stiffness, hardness and fracture toughness of workpiece materials.